5 THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS TO REGAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE

 

5 THOUGHT PROVOKING QUESTIONS TO REGAIN A FRESH PERSPECTIVE OF LIFE

In our never-ending pursuit of happiness and fulfilment, we often overlook the importance of self-reflection and deep conversations with those around us. Introspection can be uncomfortable and challenging, as it requires us to confront our fears, weaknesses, and insecurities, which can be daunting.

In my coaching assignment I have found  deep conversations with the coach at the start  can be intimidating, especially if we're not used to being vulnerable and sharing our thoughts and feelings (which is very true in urban India) .

However, taking the time to pause and ask ourselves thought-provoking questions can have a profound impact on our personal growth and development. By asking ourselves difficult and challenging questions, we can gain a deeper understanding of who we are, what we want out of life, and how we can achieve our goals. These questions can also spark meaningful conversations with those around us, creating a sense of connection and community that can further enhance our life satisfaction overall.

In this blogpost, I have compile a few questions that will make you think deeply and regain a fresh perspective of life. Who knows, you may just discover something new and life-changing about yourself and the world around you.

So take a pen and writing pad and a quiet corner not to be disturbed and keep a block of at least half an hour at one session.

1. What is the difference between living and existing?

Living and existing are two very different concepts. Existing refers to simply being alive, without any sense of purpose, direction, or fulfilment. It's the state of just getting through the day-to-day routine without any sense of purpose or passion.

Living is having a purpose and engaging with life and pursuing one's passions, dreams, and goals. It's about finding meaning and purpose in life and taking steps to achieve personal growth and fulfilment. Living involves being present in the moment and embracing new experiences, challenges, and opportunities.

Living and existing can be compared to being a spectator versus being a participant in life. When we exist, we simply watch life pass us by without actively engaging with it. But when we live, we take an active role in shaping our lives and creating the experiences that make us happy and fulfilled.

2. What does it mean to live a good life?

We all want a better life, but what that means can be different for each individual. For some, living a good life may mean achieving certain career goals, building a successful business, or earning a certain level of income. For others, it may mean cultivating strong relationships with family and friends, volunteering for a cause they believe in, or pursuing hobbies and interests that bring them joy. Remember the wheel of life and the sectors of life you need to balance and harmonize ?

 

3. If you had exactly 3 years to live  how would you start living differently today?

Living in the moment becomes more important when time is limited. People may be more conscious of the present moment and savour the experiences they have, rather than worrying about the future.With a shorter lifespan, individuals may be more willing to take risks and try new things. They may step out of their comfort zone and embrace uncertainty, taking advantage of every opportunity that comes their way.

Cherishing relationships becomes a top priority when time is limited. People may want to make the most of the time they have with loved ones, cherishing the moments spent together and being more intentional about maintaining those relationships.

Finally, individuals may focus more on experiences over possessions. Possessions are temporary, but experiences last a lifetime. With a shorter lifespan, people may want to make sure that they're filling their lives with experiences that matter, such as traveling to new places, trying new activities, or spending time with loved ones.

4. What are the  peak experiences in life and what are call breakthrough  or defining moments which are indelible memories and you are you looking forward to having more; repeating or replicating ?

There are peak experiences in life and what are call breakthrough moments. Great personality focus on peak  experiences over possessions. Possessions are temporary, but experiences last a lifetime. One breakthrough moment many individuals may look forward to making in the future is that of travel and adventure. Exploring new places, trying new foods, and experiencing different cultures can be incredibly rewarding and create memories that last a lifetime. Whether it's hiking in a new national park, visiting a historic city, or backpacking through a foreign country, travel and adventure can be a source of personal growth, excitement, and new experiences.

Another memory that many individuals may look forward to making is that of personal achievement. Whether it's starting a new career, finishing a degree program, or pursuing a lifelong passion, achieving personal goals can create a sense of accomplishment and pride. These memories can serve as a reminder of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that led to the achievement and inspire individuals to continue to pursue their dreams.

5. What are the  most memorable statement - you've ever heard from your parents/spouse/boss/friends etc?

When asked this question, many people will likely have different answers based on their experiences and perspectives. For example, one of the most sensible things that a person may have heard is that "the only constant in life is change." A vital spark or a fresh insight may make you a Archimedes in the bathtub. The “eureka” moment may be often or sometime it just depends on your open mindedness; the quality of humility and submissiveness … allowing yourself y to be influence by others ; your well honed listening skills. It need a flexible  approach to life - to let go of our attachment to the past and embrace the possibilities of the future. When we accept change as an inevitable part of life, we become more resilient and better able to adapt to new challenges and opportunities

Conclusion

these  questions offer a window into the complexities and nuances of the human experience. From philosophical questions about the nature of truth and reality to questions about the role of tradition or spirituality in our lives, these prompts invite us to explore the world and ourselves in new and meaningful ways.

While there are no easy answers to these questions, the act of pondering so many things can be a deeply transformative experience. By engaging in this type of self-reflection, we can cultivate greater empathy, curiosity, and self-awareness, and begin to forge a deeper connection with ourselves and the world around us.

 

With best compliments

Dr Wilfred Monteiro

META+MANAGER MODULE - building great companies one leader at a time

THE ACID TEST

 OF MANAGERIAL EFFECTIVENESS

What makes a manager effective? The answer awaits you on all kinds of little lists. The trouble with these little lists is that they are always incomplete. For example, where on this one is basic intelligence, or being a good listener? Fear not—these appear on other lists. So if we are to trust any of these lists, we shall have to combine all of them with these pithy quotes of several management gurus of yesteryears....

Ø  Effectiveness is the central issue in management. It is the manager´s job to be effective - it is the only job.

Ø  Whenever I meet a highly effective manager, I like to discover who hired the manager, who is the current superior, and who had the most career influence. That way I might find four effective managers, not one.

Ø  Good universities have an up-or-out system for all new lecturers; why not other types of organizations, for all new managers?

Ø  People want to work well. A manager´s job is to create the situation where they can. An effective manager attends all meetings to which a direct contribution can be made - no others.

Ø  The only difficulty in planning is how to get managers to do it.

Ø  Managers should not do things right, but do right things.

Ø  In every firm some managers could be retired at full salary and profits would go up.

Ø  Managers should not safeguard resources, but rather optimize resource allocation.

Ø  Duties constrain managers, results liberate them.

Ø  If the degree of attainment of an objective is not measurable, eliminate the objective because no one will know anyway.

Ø  If a manager becomes single-minded about achieving objectives, it shows the game has been learned but not necessarily its spirit.

Ø  Most executive work is simply busy work to fill time.

Ø  Too many managers want to be clever rather than effective.

Ø  Most job outputs are measurable. Even saints had clear key results areas, running a monastery  is as complex as running a business unit and there is no performance feedback loop  

Ø  If two managers are responsible for the same thing, one of them is not needed.

Ø  The question that managers ought to ask is not what must I do now, but what must I decide now.

Ø  Anyone can find time to read if it is seen important.

Ø  Managers should work quicker and smarter, not harder.

Ø  I am sorry for the bright young managers, whose first boss isn´t as bright as they are.

Ø  Energy is often confused with effectiveness.

Ø  Common sense is not very common. That´s the problem in management.

Ø  Shared and joint objectives usually indicate poor organisation design.

Ø  A focus on inputs rather than outputs provides management by subjectives, not management by objectives.

Ø  Personality conflict seldom occurs, but role conflict often does and is not recognized.

 

UNDERSTANDING THE CORE OF MANAGERIAL WORK

Management is in practical terms defined as  creative problem solving. A manager challenged to make efficient use of resources; with getting things done through people. Creative problem solving is broader than problem finding, choice making or decision making. It extends from analysis of the environment within which the business is functioning to evaluation of the outcomes from the alternative implemented.

This creative problem solving is accomplished through four functions of management: planning, organizing, leading and controlling. The intended result is the use of an organization's resources in a way that accomplishes its mission and objectives. this standard definition is modified to align more closely with our teaching objectives and to communicate more clearly the content of the organizing function. Organizing is divided into organizing and staffing so that the importance of staffing in small businesses receives emphasis along side organizing.

 

Ø  PLANNING Is the ongoing process of developing the business' mission and objectives and determining how they will be accomplished. Planning includes both the broadest view of the organization, e.g., its mission, and the narrowest, e.g., a tactic for accomplishing a specific goal.

Ø  ORGANIZING is establishing the internal organizational structure of the organization. The focus is on division, coordination, and control of tasks and the flow of information within the organization. It is in this function that managers distribute authority to job holders.

Ø  EXECUTING   is influencing people's behavior through motivation, communication, group dynamics, leadership and discipline. The purpose of directing is to channel the behavior of all personnel to accomplish the organization's mission and objectives while simultaneously helping them accomplish their own career objectives.

Ø  MONITORING  is a four-step process of establishing performance standards based on the firm's objectives, measuring and reporting actual performance, comparing the two, and taking corrective or preventive action as necessary.

MEASUREMENT YARDSTICK- both carrot and stick ???

You are a manager; you want to know how you are doing. Other people around you are even more intent on knowing how you are doing. There are lots of easy ways to assess how you are doing. Beware of them all. The effectiveness of a manager can only be judged in context. 

Managers are not effective; matches are effective.  Success depends on the match between the person and the unit, in the situation at the time, for a time. Hence a flaw that can be tolerable in one context—even be considered a positive quality, such as a compulsive focus on cost reduction—can prove to be fatal in another. There are no effective managers in general, which also means there is no such thing as a  manager—someone who can manage anything. To assess the effectiveness of a manager, you also have to assess the effectiveness of the unit being managed. some units function well despite their managers, and others would function a lot worse if not for their managers. So beware of assuming that the manager is automatically responsible for any success or failure of a unit. You also have to assess the contribution the manager made to the bottom-line results whether measured in monetary or non-monetary terms 

 Managerial effectiveness also has to be assessed for broader impact, beyond the unit and even the organization. What use is a manager who makes the unit more effective at the expense of the rest of the organization? For example, sales sold so much product that manufacturing could not keep up, and so the company went into turmoil. Blame the sales manager? For doing his or her job? Shouldn’t general management be held responsible for managing the whole? Believe this, exclusively, and you may be part of the bureaucracy that has brought down so many organizations. All organizations are flawed: unexpected problems can arise anywhere. Effective organizations deal with such problems in their own time and place, by whoever is best able to respond. No organization can afford to have managers put on blinders to do their jobs, refusing to look left or right.

Imagine if more organizations were to assess the performance of their units and managers together, with regard to their contribution to the whole. To repeat what I think cannot be repeated enough, a healthy organization is a community of engaged human beings, not a collection of detached human resources. Moreover, what is right for the unit and even for the organization might be wrong for the world around it. For example, bribing customers may be effective for making sales, but is this the kind of effectiveness we want? Mussolini, the fascist dictator, was famous for making the Italian trains run on time.  In that respect, he was an effective manager. In others, he was a monster.

 Managerial effectiveness has to be judged and not just measured. Where is the composite measure that answers the magic question i.e. the overall effectiveness of a manager. If you think that so many points to assess managerial effectiveness is excessive, then think about the excessiveness of efforts that have ignored most of them. The effectiveness of executives has to be assessed over the long run, but since we don’t know how to measure that, at least as attributable to any specific individual

STRENGTHS FOR A GREAT MANAGER

1.     Courageous/ candid 2.     Committed/ dependable 3.     consistent but flexible 4.     curious learner 5.     confident/ inspiring 6.     decision maker -reflective/insightful 7.     open-minded/tolerant (of people, ambiguities, and ideas) 8.     innovative 9.     communicative (including being a good listener) 10. connected/informed 11. thoughtful-analytic/objective 12. pragmatic 13. decisive (action-oriented) 14. proactive

15. passionate 16. visionary 17. energetic/enthusiastic 18. upbeat/optimistic 19. ambitious 20. tenacious/persistent/zealous 21. team worker collaborative 22. engaging 23. supportive/ 24. Emotionally intelligent (sympathetic/empathetic) 25. Stable/ balanced/integrative 26. fair/ ethical/honest 27. results oriented/ accountable 28. execution excellence

 

My module of the META+ COACH has a dedicated time for understanding your managerial style and upgrading your strenghts to become a META+ MANAGER

  

With best wishes

Dr Wilfred Monteiro